There are reports involving the Dallas Cowboys that Brandin Cooks could be traded.
According to NFL reports, wide receiver Brandon Cooks of the Dallas Cowboys is a possible trade possibility.Three possible trade offers for Cooks have been compiled by Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report for the Cowboys to take into consideration.
In one trade proposal, Cooks is acquired by the Baltimore Ravens for fourth- and seventh-round selections in 2024 (No. 226). By sending the Ravens the No. 242 pick in the seventh round, the Cowboys advance.
It makes sense that Baltimore would want to give Lamar Jackson another playmaker. It is unclear, though, if Dallas would benefit from this kind of move given the cap savings.
In a March 4, 2024 article headlined “Cowboys’ Top Hypothetical Trade Packages for Brandin Cooks,” Knox wrote, “Trading Cooks before March 18 would save $4 million in cap space, and it wouldn’t mark the first time Dallas has dumped a productive receiver for cap purposes.” The Cowboys dealt Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns two offseasons ago in exchange for two sixth-round picks and a meager fifth-round pick.
“Dallas could easily value the additional cap flexibility more than the return in a Cooks trade, as was the case with Cooper.”
The argument in favor of letting go of Cooks is mostly pecuniary in nature. Cooks’ salary is expected to be $8 million, with a $10 million cap hit in 2024. The seasoned wide receiver’s two-year, $39.7 million contract is about to expire.
Cooks’ output might not be up to par with his current contract, in fact. Cooks had his lowest numbers since 2019 with 54 receptions for 657 yards in 16 games during the previous season. With eight touchdowns, his most since 2016, the playmaker did prove to be a threat in the red zone in the latter part of the season.
With Lamb the sole reliable option at wide receiver in 2023, Dallas needs better output from this position. It is noteworthy that after a sluggish start to the season, Cooks’ comfort level with Dak Prescott seemed to develop toward the end.
Baltimore has a strong argument for taking this kind of action. This is a Super Bowl contender that probably would rather have Cooks produce than a fourth-round selection that would be like winning the lottery. The Ravens might have an opening at receiver since Odell Beckham Jr. is a free agent.
Given their similar skill sets, Cooks would make sense as Beckham’s replacement in Baltimore’s starting lineup, Knox continued. His comparatively low salary may also help the Ravens, who are expected to have just $16.5 million in cap room.
Although there are many talented receivers in the 2024 class of free agents, this does not guarantee that high-caliber pass catchers will drop in price. Dallas might be able to extract a little bit more draft capital—in this hypothetical transaction, a seventh-round swap—than it might from a team like Cleveland because the Ravens pick late in the draft order.
For Heavy.com, Jonathan Adams covers the NBA and NFL, concentrating on the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, and Philadelphia Eagles. Numerous publications, including NFL.com, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report, and Sports Illustrated, have highlighted his work.More on Jonathan Adams.
